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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-09-19, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013. By Pastor Andrew Versteeg Brussels Community Bible Chapel Recently a verse in Scripture caught my attention and had me thinking. This verse is found in the book of 1 Thessalonians in the Bible. 1 Thessalonians is a letter that was written to the church in Thessalonica, a city that is now situated in modern day Greece and is a seaport on the Aegean Sea. The Apostle Paul had visited this city, and as he did in every city he visited, he preached the gospel there and a church was established. He only stayed a very short time in Thessalonica because of religious persecution, but the church remained. Later Paul was concerned to know how these new Christians were doing so he sent his friend Timothy to find out. Timothy came back with a very encouraging report. These new Christians had stood firm in their faith in an environment that was hostile to Christianity. Not only had Timothy brought back a good report, but Paul had met other people that had passed through Thessalonica and they too were talking about the new church that had been established there. Remember that then, as it is now, Thessalonica was a popular destination for travellers and sea merchants, so news about that city spread quickly. What was it that was being said about these believers in this new church in Thessalonica? This is what it says in 1 Thess. 1:8-9: “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from the idols to serve the living and true God.” What is being reported or observed about these people is their faith in God. How did the people who were passing through Thessalonica know that this group in that city had faith in God? The answer is that they saw it in their lives. They saw that these people had “turned to God from the idols to serve the living and true God.” In those days their cities were full of idols and they had built temples and places of worship where they would worship these idols. What is an idol? An idol is a representation of a god that someone has made up. Let me explain. We all know that there is more to life than life itself. Take for example the weather, it is quite complex. We have different weather patterns, high and low systems, storms and nice weather, and all kinds of variations in between. Where does all of this start and how does this all work together so that it does not go completely out of control? Intuitively we know that this is not just random: something or someone is guiding the weather. In Thessalonica, the people understood this as well. So, because people then, as they are now, are spiritual beings, they decided that there must be a weather god in charge of the weather. They actually had quite an elaborate list of gods and goddesses who they believed controlled the weather. They made idols to represent these gods and worshipped these idols. We are not much different. We comment on the weather and say “Mother Nature must be up to something.” A few years ago we were in a drought and someone commented quite seriously that somebody must have done something quite bad and as a result this drought has come. We have this intuition that some living deity is in charge of the weather and that this deity is somehow connected to us and what we do affects what he/she determines to give to us either for good or bad. We tend to approach many areas of life this way. This is the heart of idolatry. We see the greatness of the universe or the complexities and uncertainties of life and we are afraid. Instead of trusting in God who rules and controls all things, we attempt to control life by our own understanding. What do we do? We invent ‘little gods’. We make our own gods in the way we would like a god to be; a god we can control or appease and will do good for us. We turn away from the true and living God and instead put our hope and trust in something else. Most of us don’t worship wood or stone statues, but we do turn to a lot of things to try to make life work. We turn to things that we hope will make us happy or satisfied or find contentment each day. We search for happiness in money, travel and early retirement. We pursue friendships and relationships, or hobbies; sometimes it is fame or fortune or substance abuse. In Thessalonica, something changed and everyone knew it. Paul came and told them about God and how He had spoken to us in many different ways in the past and also how He has made Himself known to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul explained to these people that this God is the living and true God. This God is the only God, and He is the Creator of everything. He is great and all-powerful and controls everything, including the weather. God is also personal and we can know Him personally and intimately. There is so much more that can be said about God, but the greatest thing to know about Him is that we can know Him personally and that He gives meaning and purpose to everything in life. No more guessing, no more making up gods that are not gods at all and can do nothing, no more fears and superstitions, no more doubts about who God is – God can be known and trusted! He is calling us to turn from our idols to serve and worship Him alone. From the Minister’s StudyWorship God, ignore idolatry says Versteeg THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. HURON CHAPEL We’re Here For You huronchapel.com MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available 519-887-9017 10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship - Sunday School Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 Guest Speaker Rev. Randy Covey of Clinton United “On Being A Scoundrel” Worship Service & Sunday School at 10 a.m. PASTOR Sandra Cable, DLM MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed. Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, September 22 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 11 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743 www.blythcrc.ca Minister: Pastor Gary Van Leeuwen BRUSSELS Sandra Cable, Pastor Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am Sunday School Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship United Church getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School Tuesday - Wingham Bible Study 7:30 pm Tuesdays - Youth Group at CRC 7:30 pm Women At The Well - 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Sept. 22: Lk. 12:49-59 “Distress, Division, and Holding It All Together” Evangelical Missionary Church Oct. 5, 7:30 pm at Blyth Arena: Dr. Kirk Durston - “Science and the Skeptic” 250 Princess St., Brussels 519-887-6388 www.bmfchurch.com Pastor Jim Whitehead Guests Welcome Jesus Is Lord! Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Worship Service 10:00 am Sunday School 11:15 am